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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28713330">Good Kid</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight_w0nder/pseuds/Midnight_w0nder'>Midnight_w0nder</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I Could Be In Love (Maybe) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Autistic Zuko (Avatar), Based on Percy Jackson Musical, Gen, I heard it and I thought of Zuko, I'm crying, Implied Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh Adopts Zuko (Avatar), Iroh loves Zuko, It's a lyricfic, Lyric fic, Mentioned Ozai (Avatar), Mentioned Sokka (Avatar), Mild Hurt/Comfort, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, POV Iroh (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:00:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28713330</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight_w0nder/pseuds/Midnight_w0nder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Iroh had adopted Zuko three years ago. And in all that time, there is still something Iroh can't predict.<br/>What mood Zuko will be in when he gets home from school.</p><p>Having just got expelled again, Zuko is feeling overwhelmed. And it's up to Uncle Iroh to calm his nephew down and show him the love and support he deserves.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iroh &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I Could Be In Love (Maybe) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080458</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Good Kid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Me again! So this is a continue on, I was listening to the Percy Jackson Musical and man, I heard Good Kid and I never been hit harder with the urge to write the song for Zuko. I hope you all enjoy this, I am soft for Iroh being the loving and calming influence in Zukos life, and I cry often at their relationship.<br/>All comments are apricated! I'm open to requests!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>((Listen to <a href="https://youtu.be/hV1lpw8cUsg">Good Kid</a> here!)) </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko entered the room with a bang. Iroh had been preparing the tea as he always did on a Thursday when his nephew stormed into the house, throwing his bag at the stairs and charging to his room like a bull. In the three years that Zuko had lived with Iroh, there were still some teething problems, like predicting what mood Zuko would be in when he came home from school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iroh let out a sigh, looking at his nice tea set he had arranged then looking at the less breakable set. Perhaps, these circumstances called for that set and not the pretty one. He quickly gathered two cups and saucers, spoons, biscuits, the tea pot and hot water and made his way upstairs to Zuko's room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skillfully, he balanced the tray on his hand, he always knocked before entering. Zuko was a private person, and he needed to know that his room was his. Iroh wouldn’t just charge in as his father had done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zuko?” he called gently, tapping the door. He could hear muffled sobs, the familiar gasping for breath. “Zuko, you want to tell me what happened today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got expelled!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iroh didn’t sigh, he didn’t barge into Zukos room and hit him. Instead he set the tea set down, and then sitting himself on the floor and resting his back against the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s very unfortunate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Six schools in six years, uncle. Been kicked out of every one. Everything I do is wrong, and everybody is always on my case about what I’m doing and how I don’t fit in. Then… then it’s the ‘don’t act up, don’t act out’ lecture from the welfare officers, who aren’t even trained to deal with kids like me,” Zuko always raged like fire. He tore down what was in his path, never acknowledging the destruction or pain that would be left. But Iroh had learned to listen to his nephew, now his ward. He learned to let Zuko rage, because often the destruction left was not by him. Because Zuko did not know what he did, when he said something without thinking, without reading the social cues. Iroh was most grateful for the group he had found of parents who had autistic children, his little support circle helped not just Iroh but also Zuko.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I keep my head down and my chin up but it always, always ends up the same. It ends with me being told to pack my bags. Why am I always to blame?” he gasped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have some tea, Zuko. Do you want some tea? It's jasmine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never meant to hurt anyone,” Zuko whispered. Iroh felt his heart constrict slightly, swallowing, he poured Zuko a cup even though the other hadn’t come out yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zuko, a nice cup of jasmine tea will help calm you, mm? Come out, nephew. It’s ok, I’m not angry,” Iroh soothed. He waited in silence, then like a mouse, Zuko appeared. He didn’t look at his uncle, his gaze trained down to his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iroh didn’t correct him, he didn’t force him to look at him. He knew eye contact was a big one for him. Iroh saw the scratch marks on the backs of his hand, but he didn’t force the contact onto Zuko, he let Zuko come to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I try,” the words got strangled in Zuko's voice, “I try to be a good kid. A good son. But no one ever will take my side and all I ever seem to do is take the fall. I swear that I’m a good kid, but maybe I’m good for nothing at all,” he choked out. Iroh didn’t try to touch Zuko, though his heart ached to just hold his nephew in his embrace tightly. He ached to have him tight in his arms. But no, he would not force contact to the younger when he was upset. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad was a world class jerk, and he was never </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The only family that mattered, she vanished into the air. And then I found a place I liked, that I felt wanted, and Sokka was there and Aang. And they</span>
  <em>
    <span> liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> me! Then as soon as I think I finally have a place to be a part of something it’s ‘pack your bags, Zuko, now go away!’.” Zuko was nearly breathless. He spoke so fast with no filter. No thought. Iroh didn’t remark on what he said, that he had no family, because that was a lie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko had him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though he didn’t understand what went on in Zuko's head, or what his brother had done to him, and so Iroh remained silent, letting Zuko get it off his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All the schools in six years it’s always the same. No one tells me that they’re… I don’t know, proud? No one asks me to come over, no one asks me how am I? All I get is bad grades and a bad rep and a good smack and no friends and no hope and no mom-” finally his dam broke and he sobbed, hugging himself tight. “She’s gone,” he added more quietly. A frightened child, that was how Iroh saw his nephew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zuko…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear I never stole anything. I never meant to hurt anyone. I swear I’m a good kid, who’s had a bad run And I just need one last chance to prove I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am </span>
  </em>
  <span>good. I’m good enough for someone,” he choked out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iroh sighed softly, opening his arms as a silent invitation to be embraced. Zuko climbed over, latching onto him and burying his face away into Iroh's chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had held Zuko like this too many times. Too many times had he dried his nephews tears and sat with him through his nightmares. Too many times had he pried Zuko's hands away from his scarred face, and held his hands to soothe him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am proud of you,” Iroh whispered in his ear. “You are good. You are a good kid. And life has been very unfair to you, my little dragon. It is not your fault. You are not to blame. Not for your father beating you, for the scar on your face, for your mother leaving. You are not to blame for any of those things. I will ring the school later and try to get it appealed, you won’t have to leave yet, Zuko. You’re ok, you’re alright,” he soothed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Iroh breathed. “We’ll fix this, Zuko. We will. And you’ll not be the bad kid anymore.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>//All rights go to the The Lightning Thief Musical (OCR), composed by Rob Rokicki</p></blockquote></div></div>
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